AUGUSTA — This afternoon, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was re-elected to another two-year term by the incoming members of the 131st Maine State Legislature.

"I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to continue serving the people of Maine as Secretary of State," said Secretary Bellows. "My promise is to be steadfast in my commitment to strengthen and protect democracy and to continue to work hard to modernize our technology in order to provide exceptional customer service across our Bureaus."

AUGUSTA – Secretary of State Shenna Bellows released the below statement following the release of Gov. Janet Mills' change package to the supplemental budget, which includes funding for an Audit and Training Division within the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions:

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will visit polling places, municipal clerks, poll workers and voters around Maine on November 8, the last day of voting in the General Election.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is warning Maine corporations and non-profits to watch out for a misleading solicitation they may have received in the mail which offer to file annual reports on their behalf, for a $195 fee.

AUGUSTA — With three weeks until the General Election, November 8, 2022, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Deputy Secretary of State for Corporations, Elections and Commissions Julie Flynn want to provide an update to the public about Maine's election processes for this stage of an election cycle. Further in-depth explainers will be provided for Election Day and post-election procedures.

AUGUSTA — A recount of ballots cast has been completed for the 2022 Republican Primary Recount for State Representative District 73.

The final recount tabulation shows that candidate Michael Soboleski is the winner of the House Republican Primary election with 418 votes while candidate Nancy J. Bessey has 413 votes.

Unofficial, preliminary results showed Soboleski with 419 votes and Bessey with 413 votes.

State House District 73 includes 22 towns in the counties of Franklin, Oxford, and Somerset.

AUGUSTA — The citizen initiative petition effort to create a consumer-owned utility has been found valid, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows confirmed today.

The petitions for "An Act To Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit, Customer-owned Utility" had been in circulation since October 22, 2021. On October 31, 2022 the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions received 10,279 petition forms with 80,154 signatures of voters who support the initiative.

AUGUSTA — Annual reports are due on Thursday, June 1, 2023 for all business and nonprofit entities on file with the Secretary of State's office as of December 31, 2022.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is reminding those who must file that they can do so quickly and easily using the Secretary of State’s online filing system. To file online, go to https://www10.informe.org/aro/index_on.html. Payment can be made by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or with a subscriber account.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced a technological upgrade to the process that insurance companies must follow when helping suspended drivers restore their driving privilege.

"Streamlining the filing process through technology modernization reduces the burden on drivers, their insurance agents, and BMV staff – and just makes sense" said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. "An online process is already being used in many other states, and this move will improve Maine’s efficiency in processing the necessary filings."

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced Monday that Maine voters may begin requesting absentee ballots for the November 8, 2022 General Election. While ballots themselves won't be available until 30 days before Election Day, Maine law allows voters to request ballots three months before Election Day.